This invention relates to an improvement in securing a wire harness to a vehicle trim panel.
In the prior art, wire harnesses are utilized to bundle the control wires associated with vehicle systems. Wire harnesses are assembled at a wiring jig to route the wires to desired destinations, and to connect the wires to connectors as required. As an example, in an interior trim panel for a vehicle door, wires must go to and from a vehicle control, a power supply, and be connected to several components on the vehicle door. Included in the components typically mounted in a vehicle door are window controls, power door locks, and motor driven mirrors. In addition, electrical connections must be made between the vehicle stereo, and any speakers mounted within the door panel. In sum, there are many wires that must be connected into a wire harness for a vehicle trim panel such as a door panel.
The method of assembling a wire harness in the past has required an undesirably large number of steps. It is a goal of vehicle manufacturers to reduce the number of separate steps that must be performed to reach a final vehicle assembly. In addition, it is a goal to form as many modular components, from vehicle components as is possible.
The prior art method of assembling wire harnesses to trim panels has not been as modular as would be desirable. As an example, FIG. 1 shows a highly schematic and very simplified wire harness jig 20. Connectors 22, 24, and 26 are interconnected by wires 28. Routing fork 31 guides wires 28 toward the connectors 24 and 26. Routing fork 32 guides several of the wires to the connector 24, while fork 34 guides a wire to connector 26. As the wire harness is assembled, a worker individually places wires through the routing forks and to their appropriate destinations. The wiring harnesses are then taped to hold desired positions until they can be attached to a trim panel.
FIG. 1B shows the second step in the process of attaching the wire harness 36 to the trim panel 38. The wire harness and trim panel are typically shipped separately to an assembly line, where they are interconnected. Thus, the two processes generally occur at separate locations. Extra manufacturing steps are required to separately transport the wire harness to the trim panel location, and then assemble the two. It would be desirable to reduce the number of separate manufacturing steps.